Technical Support Building opens at WSMR’s LC-38

​WSMR LC-38 employees pose for a picture in front of the new Technical Support Building out at LC-38, after the ribbon cutting ceremony, March 16.

3/28/2017

Adriana Salas de Santiago

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A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at White Sands Missile Range's Launch Complex 38, March 16. The event took place at the new Technical Support Building, a 5,700 square foot, high efficiency building set to replace three outdated buildings within the complex. The facility was funded by Lockheed Martin and sponsored by WSMR. Construction for the new building began in 2012 with an official groundbreaking ceremony taking place in 2015.

"We were spread out in two or three other facilities that are obsolete," said Tim Butler, MFC site manager. "Getting everyone co-located near the Missile Assembly building as the PAC-3 program continues to grow, helps us to prepare for our expected growth capacity."

The new facility will help streamline the lines of communication between the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 team, since it is located directly across from the Mission Assembly Facility. The team is made up of roughly 20 government employees and about 25 Lockheed Martin contractors, not including Raytheon contractors. The new building will help the Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control PAC-3 personnel by increasing capacity in anticipation of future growth. The new facility can accommodate 40 employees, currently there are only 25.

"I would like to express my appreciation to the Department of Public Works for the excellent support that they have provided during the planning, design and construction phases of this project," said Jerry Dietz, MFC-WSMR project engineering lead. "Our success with approval and implementation of this project at WSMR has been completely dependent on the sponsorship and full support of the Materiel Test Directorate and in particular our PAC-3 Test Officer, Raul Grajeda."

Dietz said the project would not have been possible without the assistance of DPW employees; Sam Morris, John Esqueda, Alicia Rodriguez, Bill Rucker, Howard Guion, Chris Hahn, Max Johnson and April Banks.

"It's going to advance our capabilities with more support and more people in offices closer to the Mission Assembly Facility," Grajeda said.

"We have quite a few personnel who are ready to retire and a new building like this will attract new, younger people," said Jeffrey Dowery, electronics engineer.